Definition:Vigintillion/Short Scale

Definition

Vigintillion is a name for $10^{63}$ in the short scale system:

One vigintillion $= 10^{3 \times 20 + 3}$

Also defined as

In the long scale system:

One vigintillion $= 10^{6 \times 20} = 10^{120}$

Also known as

Some sources use the word vigillion for vigintillion.

Also see

• Definition:Vigintillion/Long Scale

Historical Note

One vigintillion ($10^{63}$) is, according to The Sand-Reckoner by Archimedes of Syracuse, the number of grains of sand that it would take to fill the Universe (according to the size that it was believed to be at the time).

Linguistic Note

The word vigintillion is created from the Latin-derived prefix viginti-, meaning twentyfold, together with -illion, a back-formation from the word million.

Sources

• 1986: David Wells: Curious and Interesting Numbers ... (previous) ... (next): $10^{63}$
• 1997: David Wells: Curious and Interesting Numbers (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): $10^{63}$